Taking it easy (well, Taking it easier than my normal)

The movie night last week turned out great.

Our final (for sure) movie night included the outdoor cooking like all the previous ones before guests showed up. This time I tried making a dutch oven mac/cheese to go with our turkey dogs. It actually turned out well. (The kids loved it; I would alter it next time. It tasted a little over processed to me thanks to all the Velveeta style cheese in it.) I'm getting better with the grill and dutch oven. But I'm done with that for a while (too much work and too much heat, and "tired and hot" is already my normal these days, so let's not add to it.) :)

Dessert was s'mores, with the marshmallows toasted over the still hot coals of the grill where I grilled the hot dogs. (Carolyn and Rob don't like s'mores. They just ate some chocolate.)

Our movie night was a huge hit! We had 4 families from church come over in addition to our own (and my brother stayed a while before he had to go home to get sleep before his early morning). Our driveway was filled with friends and popcorn and the sounds of Cinderella.

(We will try one more this Wednesday after everyone gets home from church, but everyone knows that if I go into labor before then, no movie. I'll be 39 weeks tomorrow.)

Last Wednesday we had bedroom inspections/cleaning and just stayed at home. Thursday and Friday were grocery shopping days and letting the kids just play.
Carolyn and Natalie had their turn going to Memere and Grandpa's house for a few days.
I did have an appointment on Friday and was up to 4 cm dilated. (yea!)
This past weekend we had some family (indoor) movie time - watching Ella Enchanted (like most movies made from books, not nearly as good as the book) and the new Beauty and the Beast. The girls also had fun watching the baby move around Saturday afternoon. It's like watching my belly do a little dance while I sit still. :)

I wish I had a picture for Sunday, but I didn't think to take one. Carolyn made Sunday dinner (mostly on her own) and Natalie made dessert. I helped with draining the noodles for macaroni and opening and handling the roast since the package is hard to open and I use a sharp knife to do it, and of course, I gave directions.
Carolyn cooked roast and carrots in the crock pot, macaroni and cheese (homemade), and green beans.
Natalie made peanut butter kisses cookies for dessert. (I need to get my aunt's recipe for her - I think she'd like her recipe better.)
Everything wasn't perfect - they're both still learning, but they did really well with direction following and getting it all put together, especially for a 12 year old and 10 year old!

10 days left (as of Sunday)....(that's until my due date...who knows when he will come?)
This week feels like we're just sitting in this waiting game.
Everything wears me out if it involves sitting up straight or standing for a while, so I either get nothing done, or I push to get something done and I'm exhausted or sore. (There's not a whole lot I have to get done, especially with the chores distributed among the kids, but I can't just sit around doing nothing all day. It's boring, for both me and the kids.) So I alternate between days when I get stuff done and days when I get nothing done.

We did our normal cleaning* Monday morning, followed by haircuts, and after some piano lessons, I took the kids to the lake for an hour and a half. By the time I finished dishes, bathrooms, and haircuts, I was done for the day! The lake and piano lessons happened, but with me in the most comfortable sitting position I could find.  

They were only allowed to go out to their waist height (when standing) so that I could just sit and watch. Alee played on the playground more than swimming. Seth mostly just sat on the swing with me and watched them.  

Piano lessons are not high quality lessons right now. I just listen to their assigned songs and give feedback and move them along or help them know how to fix what they're having trouble playing. (While I sit in the recliner next to the piano!)

Alee is the only one that I still have to be more hands-on when teaching. I actually have to sit at the piano and pull out games and manipulatives. (For both her age/skill level and her attention span.)

The few girls haircuts that morning after chores were harder to do than I expected. (I should have just taken them somewhere this week. My back gets tired so easily.)

Alee only got a few inches off, Carolyn got a trim, and Natalie got about 5" off. I can tell because of the reduced tangles at the ends, but with their hair all so long, it's hardly noticeable to others.

*Normal chores for Mondays in the summer:

Beth - bathrooms, vacuum den (year round)

Seth - lawn mowing (year round)

Carolyn - sweep/mop kitchen (now year round)

Kaitlyn & Natalie - trash (now year round) & sweep/mop wood floors (summer only)

Alee - dust and windows clean (alternating, summer only)

And daily chores like dishes, laundry, and straightening rooms. Other chores as needed (playroom, outside, and sheets when the laundry queue isn't full).

Kaitlyn (to pass off an activity in her Faith God booklet) taught us a song for FHE last night. She had drawn pictures and had siblings hold them while she taught the song. ("Home" from the Children's Songbook.) She was cute; teaching it like she has seen our music leader in primary at church teach the children a new song.

 Last night before bed, we finally used the 6 burst fireworks that Kaitlyn bought in a box from the youth fundraiser at church in April.

(This is just a picture for reference in case I don't get another one before I deliver. This is from Monday, so 2 days before 39 weeks. I'm going to try to take one today or tomorrow.) One of Rob's co-workers made the little hat I'm holding.

We went to the flag raising at church this morning. Seth participated with a few boys from his troop in the flag raising. Then we had breakfast with everyone there.

Since then, the kids and Rob (minus Carolyn who's just been reading all day) have been playing Risk - quite possibly the longest game known to man.

I don't like Risk, but I might play with them if they pick another game this afternoon. (I think Alee has had enough Risk too.)

I sorted some mess to get rid of and then rested. (I'm not having labor contractions, but I have had a couple more irregular ones today if I'm up and about, and nothing if I rest.)

Praying the baby comes in the next week...My last pre-scheduled appointment is tomorrow. (I assume they'll have me schedule another for next week when I'm there tomorrow.)

Happy 4th of July!